Angry Tortoise

The other day I thought I’d switch on the parliament channel in order to delude myself that I’m an intellectual or moral. It reminded me of why I’m no longer so fascinated by politics.  The older you get the easier it is to predict what politicians say before they say it.  Argument for argument’s sake.  Opposition for opposition’s sake.  And that awful smugness that can only come from knowing you’re absolutely right.  

 That said I was just getting into it when Norman Tebbit (now 87) stood up and said something.  It wasn’t anything about the actual legislation or the issue he’d just stood up to make a point about what people of his ideology thought.  Something about free trade.  He said his piece.  Everyone seemed to ignore him.  He sat down again.  It killed the mood.   

Everyone else who spoke had been trying in their long rambling way to understand the legislation and any potential flaws in it but Norman seemed not to be there for that.  He seemed to be there purely to state that he believed in free market economics.  Having stated his creed he resumed his seat.  There was something almost religious about it.  He stood up.  Said words no one really understood and yet they did.  And then he sat down again.  87.  These people seem to live longer and longer.  At least they live longer than the poor who have statistically shorter lifespans.  I’m now so old I remember Tebbit retiring … except Lord Tebbit didn’t retire … he got on his bike looked for people to bore.  It was like watching a very angry tortoise briefly pop his head out of his shell before pulling it back in again.  And then I switched over so don’t ask me what else went on.